A Tense Reunion
by OBDSW
Summary: Bella has been a vampire for almost five years and is married to Edward, but she hasn't forgotten Jacob, her former best friend. In this story, she pays him a visit. Rated teen just in case.


Jacob's POV

I could see the two of them coming closer and closer. They would be standing right in front of me in a matter of seconds. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath in an attempt to calm and compose myself. _I can handle this. I can handle this. She still Bella, even though she's . . . changed. _I chanted silently to myself. No matter what, Bella was still Bella somewhere deep inside.

Bella's POV

I gripped Edward's hand tighter yet as Jacob came into my range of view. I wasn't the slave to my instincts that I'd been a few years ago, but I still had the nagging, biting fear that I might not be able to handle it, that I might lose control, while seeing the werewolf who was once my best friend through a vampire's eyes, and that I might hurt him in more ways than one, and - I shook away the unbearable thought and continued toward the La Push border. Despite the painfully clear fact that we were vampire and werewolf, polar opposites and natural enemies, deep down, I would love Jacob to some extent; _my_ Jacob would always own a little piece of my heart. It wasn't like my love for Edward, or course, but even Edward himself had admitted that Jacob and I had the kind of relationship that wouldn't, couldn't, just dissolve away. I slowed down and took a deep breath (though I no longer needed oxygen, it still helped reassure me) and stopped right in front of Jacob.

Jacob's POV

Bella's appearance up close took my breath away. She was too beautiful for words! But that wasn't the only thing I noticed about her. She was even more incredibly pale than she had been before. She looked so hard, so indestructible. Her eyes were a brilliant, menacing topaz color. It was clear that the bright, delicate blush that had once so often colored her cheeks was long gone, replaced with more alabaster skin and dark shadows under her eyes. The soft, warm, sweet-smelling Bella with brown eyes, the Bella I had known and loved with all my heart, had disappeared forever. In her place stood this unbreakable, seductively beautiful woman. And that was when her scent hit me. It was icy and sickeningly sweet, just like _his_. The being who had stolen away her life and her soul, yet still had the nerve to stand beside her, The leech, the bloodsucker, _Him_.

"How could you have done this to her?" I demanded. I was losing control, and I knew it. As I shook with anger, the world spun around me and a red haze slipped over my vision. A deep growl slipped from my throat. If I couldn't regain my control _fast_, I was going to phase.

Bella's POV

I wondered if I looked as stung as I felt.

"Jacob Black, don't you dare attack Edward! This was _my_ choice, _my_ decision! Edward was reluctant to change me in the first place! If you don't like the way I look or smell, that's your problem, because despite either of those traits, I'm still Bella! Are you still Jacob?" I said my voice defiant and a little cold. As I said this, I examined Jacob. He'd gotten taller and more muscular still, and his hair was cropped short again, but his face remained unchanged. His scent was bitter and pretty repulsive, but I forced myself to breathe it in anyway. If I allowed myself to see him as any other vampire would, I was just as bad as he. I was determined to show him that not everything had changed between us.

Jacob's POV

I stood very still and focused hard on regaining my control. Ironically, it was a lot easier once I'd heard Bella's sharp retort. Her voice wasn't any different than it had been when I'd last seen her, and her words were exactly what I would've expected her to say, and she didn't appear to have the prejudices against me that her "family" had.

"Why don't we pretend the last few minutes never happened and start over?" I suggested, managing to keep my voice even.

Bella's POV

I nodded.

"Yeah, that's a good idea. Hopefully it'll be less awkward the second time around," I said, watching Jacob grin sheepishly. I paused for a moment and began talking again, "Hello, Jacob. How are you today? It's been much too long since we've talked," I remarked courteously."Hey, Jacob. Long time, no see," said Edward, flashing a perfect smile at his former rival. Jacob frowned, ignoring Edward.

"Bella, why are you being so polite? It's not like you . . . to tell you the truth it's actually scaring the crap out of me!" Jacob said sarcastically. I rolled my eyes.

"Well, Jacob, you haven't changed much, and I'm really not sure if that's a good thing . . ." I sighed, shaking my head in mock sadness. Jacob's frown dissolved.

"Now there's the Bella I remember!" he said happily.


End file.
